1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gauges and more particularly to an automobile wheel bolt circle gauge for determining the possible maker of the wheel or the automobiles on which it might fit from the bolt circle pattern.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many specific function gauges have been developed for numerous purposes. Specifically, there are a number of machinist gauges which are used to measure inside or outside dimensions of a part. These traditionally have a scale with a pair of projections, one of which is fixed and disposed at one end of the scale and the other of which slides along the scale with respect to the fixed one. The projections are usually formed to measure both an inside and an outside parameter, such as the inside diameter or the outside diameter of a pipe, by sliding the movable indicator on the scale either apart until the projections contact the inside edges of the distance to be measured or sliding them together until they contact the outside dimensions. Indicia on the scale indicates what the distance is between the two slides for either an inside or outside dimension. That structure, modified to suit the particular purpose, is used for the present invention, but the known devices could not make the measurement required or provide an answer to the particular problem that the present invention solves.
Automobile wrecking yards usually salvage all of the usable parts from each automobile that they dismantle. It is usual practice to separate such parts into categories. Thus, for example, engines are located in one place, glass in another, tires in another, transmissions, body parts, rear ends, etc., in other places, piles, or storage bins.
With respect to automobile wheels, once one has been removed or separated from an automobile, it is very difficult to determine what kind of a car it might have come from by inspection. There are many different types of wheel construction, different diameter bolt circle patterns, four lug and five lug bolt hole patterns, and there are many different combinations of these for even the same make car over a period of years and even within the same year model. While the wheels are readily distinguishable from each other, determining the automobiles on which they might fit is not.
However, by measuring the distance between adjacent bolt holes, that determination can be made but it requires integrating a lot of information. In addition, making that measurement is very difficult because the center of the holes is difficult to locate and the difference in the distances on the different types of wheels is minute. thus, these measurements must be made accurately and there must be a means by which the distance can be interpreted to identify the car from which the wheel might have come or on which it might fit. The prior art gauges cannot measure the distance between the center of holes and they do not have the integrated indicia necessary to indicate on what automobiles the wheels might fit.
Applicant has developed a device for accurately determining the distance between the centers of adjacent automobile wheel bolt holes and provides a unique indicia system for immediately identifying the various types of automobiles on which a wheel might fit based on simply the determined distance between the bolt holes without knowing in terms of measurement what that distance is. No other known device achieves these results.